I did a little preview ride and reminded myself of the sweet spot of awfulness with snowmelt and road crap where drivers are going full speed, roads are potholed, and the forbes avenue bike lane is enough visible to make drivers think you should be there, but it's not actually usable. Continuing the exploratory journey, the drivers were a bit unpleasant on Braddock and the pavement unpleasant on East End Avenue.
I got my eldest (11 today!) a road bike in the fall, but in spite of that and how we ride together in squirrel hill (streets most of the time, some sidewalk climbing) I'm starting to think the best strategy for her is sidewalk the whole freaking way (north side of Forbes and west side of Braddock). That's a really depressing thought, especially where there nominally is a bike lane and where, starting from where she starts (coming north along beechwood blvd) it's really inefficient. With a different bike, riding through Frick would be more fun, but I'd be concerned about flatting out and isolation and it's not an all weather plan. Anyone have another, better plan than those I've put forward?
byogman
2016-01-28 15:47:45
For a less experienced rider, I would definitely recommend the sidewalk on Braddock. (I use it, half the time, myself). The sidewalk on the north side of Forbes through Squirrel Hill is bumpy but rideable, unless it's clogged with snow or ice. Here's a route from the intersection of Forbes & Braddock to Wilkins Center that follows sidewalk on Braddock for 2 blocks, uses a short stretch of the Braddock Trail, then Milton Ave.
An alternative route that's beautiful and safe but slower and more exertion is to descend into Frick Park via Lancaster Ave & Falls Ravine Trail. Prone to snow & ice issues, of course. map:
https://goo.gl/maps/2RT6bvErGBK2
paulheckbert
2016-01-28 18:32:52
Here's a roundabout way that should work, one that I've taken timorous bikers on in the past (well, piecewise). But except for a few unavoidable bits it sticks to low-traffic residential streets. And it crosses all main roads at traffic lights.
Starting at Forbes&Murray go N to Northumberland, R to Beechwood. L then R-ish onto Linden at Wilkins. Cross Penn. R on Thomas all the way to the end, jog R to Mead and continue to the end. (Or you can earlier R on Mead, but you'll have to stop to cross a couple of busy streets and maneuver through a barrier.) Jog through the health centre driveway and R onto Trenton. At some point cut over to Peebles, which turns into Savannah. R on Hutchinson, L on Milton to Charleston. You have arrived.
Grownups can power down Forbes to R onto Braddock, take the lane to Sanders, R then L down the alley (asphalt) or Milton (brick) to destination. You know, like that other legal vehicle, a car.
ahlir
2016-01-28 20:43:00
Corrected map of the routes I discussed:
https://goo.gl/maps/M2aX7m93omr
paulheckbert
2016-01-28 23:52:36
Ahlir, that's interesting. Pretty indirect, but depending on how things time out for her that may be ok. For sure, something worth showing if there's too much complaint about sidewalk.
Mountain bikers, can anyone comment on the cell reception available in Frick (at&t network ideally), both on the route Paul gave and, looks like clayton loop and biddle trail would work also, no? Coverage maps give the ok but that can be deceiving. Would the clayton loop biddle trail routing mean the road is basically accessible if she needed to be picked up or is it just such ridiculous terrain that you'd have to forget about accessing through anything but the trail?
byogman
2016-01-29 14:14:39
So long as you're willing to be that indirect you should think about something like
this , taking the sidewalk for the short stretch on Forbes.
jonawebb
2016-01-29 14:28:15
I've never experienced lost coverage in Frick, then again, not really focused on my cell when dropping in to Iron Grate.
ka_jun
2016-01-29 16:12:20
